The industrial Internet of things – IIoT – is a new horizon being driven by the availability of affordable internet interfaces and less expensive and powerful Wi-Fi bandwidth. It is also market driven due to multiple applications located in remote areas, where local monitoring is not feasible and the opportunity to save operating expenses is attractive. The Oil & Gas industry and their OEM suppliers are being carried in this direction and existing business models are being disrupted.

Decisions influenced by either manual or automatic, feedback or predictive controls need to be made fast enough to positively impact the operation of a process. Fast and accurate decisions will result in true asset performance control which will then lead to optimal enterprise performance. This is the ultimate promise of IIoT enablement.

How, then, to proceed? The proper approach to IIoT project implementation should be planned and measured and should encompass a roadmap similar to the following:

Start small with pilot projects and stay focused

Evaluate ROI before broadening project scope

Make early strides with efficiency projects that are simple to deploy and manage

Integrate asset monitoring and management projects

Move to comprehensive asset coverage within a dynamic network that merges both IT and OT infrastructure

Consult or partner with Schneider Electric in order to gain from Schneider’s accumulated global field experience in these areas.

In order to fully exploit the opportunities presented by IIoT, Oil & Gas industry and their suppliers will need to work with resources that have appropriate IT, process control and operation management knowledge and experience. Collaboration and interdisciplinary skills are becoming more and more crucial for a reliable evolution of technology, business and life.

This article is part of an eight-part series looking at how the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concepts are transforming the Oil & Gas industry business model. For more information, please visit: goo.gl/4ohXN7.

Maurizio Rovaglio is Vice President of Oil & Gas Technology and Alliances at Schneider Electric in Italy. Mr. Rovagilo holds multiple patents and has authored over 100 technical articles published in international scientific journals, and has delivered presentations at multiple international conferences. Mr. Rovaglio has over 15 years’ experience in software sales, marketing, resource planning and project execution in the O&G domain across the world.

Jack Creamer is Schneider Electric Segment Marketing Manager – Pumping Equipment, based in the United States. Mr. Creamer has more that 30 years in the Electrical Industry, and has been involved for 10 years in the Pumping Industry. He is involved in key industry organizations such as the Hydraulic Institute and Submersible Wastewater Pump Association, where he holds both Committee Chair and Board level positions. In his time in the Pump industry, he has help Schneider create numerous solutions that both enhance pumping efficiency and address issues such as maintenance and downtime.